1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an editing system and an editing method, and more particularly to an editing system and an editing method suitably applied to an editing system which handles editing materials that require prompt broadcasting such as sports or news.
2. Description of the Related Art
Regarding known editing systems of such types, systems which use a video tape recorder (VTR) as the recording means for recording the material to be edited have been proposed. Such editing systems sequentially record live images such as sports or news with a VTR, and edit the program by reading and using the recorded images as material.
However, when handling live images such as sports or news, an editing system should be able to carry out editing operations in a prompt and speedy manner, in order to provide audiences with images with greater appeal and presence. However, with the known editing system such as described above, a VTR tape is used for the recording medium, and it takes time to run a tape to the beginning of a clip, or fast-forward or rewind. Accordingly, VTR operations continue right up to the instant before airing, which has been problematic in that speedy editing operations cannot be performed.
Also, with the known editing system, various types of equipment are necessary for editing, such as multiple monitors being necessary to confirm the image which is to be recorded, and to confirm the editing image. Consequently, the system configuration ends up being large-scale. Further, various types of equipment need to be operated, so operations become complicated, as well.
In this way, known editing systems have not been well thought out for efficient editing operations in a limited environment on location, and neither have such known editing systems been well thought out for handling materials which require real-time elements, such as sports live casting and news broadcasts. In other words, such known systems are still insufficient regarding useability. Particularly, it has been extremely difficult to provide special effects in a real-time manner.
The present invention has been made in light of the above problems, and it is an object thereof to provide an editing system with improved useability, which realizes special effects while also realizing high-speed real-time editing.
To this end, an editing system according to a first aspect of the present invention for editing source video data, comprises: a recording/replaying device for recording the source video data onto a randomly accessible recording medium, and replaying the source video data recorded onto the recording medium; an effects device for generating effect video data by means of applying effects specified by the editing operator to the replayed video data output from the recording/replaying means; and a computer which is programmed by user interface means and the editing operator with editing software, the computer displaying a graphical user interface corresponding with the editing software program on a display; wherein the computer generates desired editing programs by re-arranging in a desired order a plurality of clip images representing a plurality of editing events and clip images representing the effects on the display, based on editing processing by the editing operator; and wherein a final edited video program is generated by controlling the recording/replaying device and the effects device, based on the editing programs.
The computer may be programmed to display the following windows on the display: a video display window for displaying video data replayed from the recording/replaying device as a dynamic image; a program display window for displaying a plurality of clip images representing the plurality of editing events and a plurality of clip images representing the plurality of effects, and also generating the editing program by means of re-arranging the clip images in a desired order; and an effects set-up window for setting effects parameter values relating to the effects.
This editing system may be arranged such that, in the event of inserting effects set in the effects set-up window between editing events displayed on the program display window, the computer is programmed to point to the insertion position of the effects by changing the form of a pointing device displayed on the display.
In this case, the computer may be programmed to insert effects between the events by dragging and dropping buttons representing the effects between the events.
Preferably, the computer is programmed to determine the insertion position of the effects according to the position for dropping the cursor representing the effects in the clip image display area where the events of the effects are displayed.
In this case, a plurality of effect buttons for setting desired effects may be provided in the effects set-up window.
When such a plurality of effect buttons are used, in a specific form of the invention, the arrangement may be such that, in the event that desired effect parameter values differing from the default values are to be set for effects displayed in the effects set-up window, the computer opens an effects set-up dialog box for setting detailed effect parameter values relating to the specified effects on the display; and wherein the effect parameter values set in the effects set-up dialog box are stored in storing means; and wherein the effects device is controlled based on the recorded effect parameter values.
Alternatively, the arrangement may be such that, in the event that desired effect parameter values are to be set for effects displayed in the effects set-up window, the computer sets the effects position in the video display window; and wherein effect parameter values corresponding to the set effects position are stored in storing means; and wherein the effects device is controlled based on the recorded effect parameter values.
Preferably, in the specific form of the invention set forth above, the computer is programmed to appropriate the effect parameter values stored in the storing means to user buttons other than the certain effect buttons, and call desired effect parameter values stored in the storing means by selecting the user buttons.
In this case, the computer may be programmed to appropriate the effect parameter values stored in the storing means to user buttons other than the certain effect buttons, by dragging and dropping the certain effect buttons on the user buttons.
In the specific form of the invention set forth above, the computer may be programmed to appropriate a plurality of effect parameter values that have been set in the past by the effects set-up dialog box to user buttons other than the certain effect buttons displayed in the effects set-up window, and call desired effect parameter values stored in the storing means by selecting the user buttons.
In this case, the computer may have management record data for managing clip image data displayed in the program display area.
In this case, the arrangement may be such that, in the event of changing the display order of clip images displayed in the program display area, the computer does not change the storage address of the clip image displayed in the program display area, but rather changes the management record data corresponding with the changed clip image.
Preferably, the computer manages the clip images displayed on the program display area by using a link structure for linking the plurality of pieces of management record data.
In this case, the management record data preferably includes management record data having information relating to the editing events, and management record data having information relating to the effects.
In this case, the arrangement may be such that, the management record data relating to the editing events has time code for editing points of the editing events, storing addresses which store clip images of the editing points, and pointer data pointing to management records linking to management record data relating to the editing events; and wherein the management record data relating to the effects has effect types indicating the type of the effects, effect times representing the execution time of the effects, and pointer data pointing to management records linking to management record data relating to the editing events; and wherein the computer controls the recording/replaying device and the effects device according to the parameters set in the management record data relating to the editing events and the management record data relating to the effects.
Preferably, in the event that a first editing event, a second editing event, and a first effect inserted between the first and second editing events are set on the program display area, the editing device the recording/replaying device and the effects device so as to: replay video data relating to the first editing event from the recording/replaying device based on the time code data of the IN-point set in the management record data corresponding to the first editing event; control the effects processing timing for the video data relating to the first editing event according to the time code data of the OUT-point set in the management record data corresponding to the first editing event, and according to the effects time set in the management record data corresponding to the first effect; control the effects processing timing for the video data relating to the second editing event according to the time code data of the IN-point set in the management record data corresponding to the first editing event, and according to the effects time set in the management record data corresponding to the first effect; and ending the replaying of video data relating to the first editing event from the recording/replaying device based on the time code data of the OUT-point set in the management record data corresponding with the first recording event.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, an editing method for editing the source video data uses an editing system including: recording/replaying means for recording the source video data onto a randomly accessible recording medium, and replaying the source video data recorded onto the recording medium; and a computer which controls the recording/replaying means to perform editing operations for generating a final video program by editing the source video data; wherein the computer generates desired editing programs by re-arranging in a desired order a plurality of clip images representing a plurality of editing events and clip images representing the effects on the display, based on editing processing by the editing operator; and wherein a final edited video program is generated by controlling the recording/replaying device and the effects device, based on the editing programs.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, an editing device for editing source video data recorded in a recording/replaying device and source audio data corresponding to the source video data comprises: means for setting a start point and stop point for performing voice-over to the source audio data; means for replaying source video data and source audio data for at least a period including the voice-over period defined by the start point and stop point of the voice-over processing; and control means for lowering the level of the source audio data replayed from the recording/replaying means from a certain time before the start point of the voice-over processing to a certain time after the end point of the voice-over processing, and also recording voice-over audio data supplied as audio data subjected to voice-over processing for the source video data with the recording/replaying device.
In the editing device of the present inventions, the arrangement may be such that during the replaying of the source video data and source audio data, the control means displays the timing of the start point and stop point for performing voice-over processing on the display.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, an editing method for editing source video data recorded in a recording/replaying device and source audio data corresponding to the source video data comprises the steps of: setting a start point and stop point for performing voice-over to the source audio data; replaying source video data and source audio data for at least a period including the voice-over period defined by the start point and stop point of the voice-over processing; and lowering the level of the source audio data replayed from the recording/replaying means from a certain time before the start point of the voice-over processing to a certain time after the end point of the voice-over processing, and also recording voice-over audio data supplied as audio data subjected to voice-over processing for the source video data with the recording/replaying device.